Moussavi and Martyrdom

Continued Iranian bloodshed from Tehran this evening. It disgusts me to see the election turn so sour. All though my geographic isolation from all of the events surrounding Iran should push me toward ambivalence, I still feel pain at another term for President Ahmadinejad. A man who pushes hate and ignorance. A man who destroys economic prosperity and social advancement. How in the world could he have won when so many were ready for change.

Last night on the corner of Tahquitz Canyon and Palm Canyon four lonely protestors were holding signs to end the war. This image of a closed minded people is disturbing. Even in the calm of the desert night they think they are pushing the edge of activism. An astonishing action given the intense martyrdom of the millions of saddened Iranians hoping to spur the world to action. Moussavi has stated he is prepared to die in opposition to Ahmadinejad. A better protest in the shadow of Mt. San Jacinto on the streets of downtown Palm Springs would be one that supports Moussavi and perhaps an external system of vote counting for Iran. Why protest to bring our troops home when they are already scheduled to return. Isn't that a little bit of a waste of time. Now, I tend to be liberal on these issues but when ruminating upon it, I am reminded of why the rest of the world hates us. We, like the Catholic church in the Rennaissance, define the world only in relation to ourselves. To conservatives, America has become a giant all encompassing church. The only nation supported by God. Americacentric hypotheses flourish in this hostile environment. The nations of the world should revolve around us. Our small lacerations should be treated long before we mend the broken bones of Arab nations.

This situation reminds me of the PRI and their authoritative command of the voters throughout Mexico in the last half of the 20th century. It truly makes me wonder at the legitimacy of the vote. Is it possible that the ballots were rigged? Is our world so barbaric? Kim Jong Il step in and become a leader of heightened morality (please?). We need miracles in a world that has never known them.